HOME + LIFESTYLE

Can you believe we’re in the middle of November already? The holidays are fast approaching and I’m not one to skip Thanksgiving, but I make one exception for my favorite tradition: Holiday Cards.

My late Grandmother took cards very serious, and I am proud to say I inherited the same obsession. Even with social media readily available I love flipping through the cards our family receives every year, whether its Valentines, Easter or the Holiday season. I love the surprise factor of not knowing whats inside!

Another one of my favorite things about holiday cards?! Displaying them in our home! It's so fun at the end of the year to see all of your loved ones pictures as a part of your holiday home decor.

When we took our family photos a few weeks ago with kELL Photography, I knew we had a winning family photo Christmas card on our hands. I’m excited to be partnering with Basic Invite on this post to show you how cute our cards turned out and to offer you a discount code!

I sat down at my desk with an almond milk peppermint mocha and started creating the perfect Holiday Card…

Why Basic Invite? Because they provide the best variety of cards at the best prices. They also handle the shipping directly from their site to our mailing list, and their website is so easy to use.

One of the many things I love about the Basic Invite website is that you can load your picture and then as your are browsing the cards, you can see exactly what your card would look like in that design. You can also choose favorites and compare them to each other, ultimatily picking the perfect one.

Almost Unlimited Colors - Basic Invite is one of the few websites that allows customers almost unlimited color options with instant previews online. Once you select a design you can change the color of each element on the card to over 180 different color options so you can make sure the card is exactly how you want it down to the littlest detail.

Custom Samples - Basic Invite allows customers the ability to order a printed sample of their actual invitation so they can see exactly how it will print as well as feel the paper quality before they ever have to place their final order.

Whether you have amazing penmanship or not Basic Invite offers Address Capturing Service.

It allows customers to simply share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other form of social media to request their friends and family’s addresses which will be stored in the customer’s account and can then be selected during the design process. Basic Invite offers recipient address printing at no cost on all Christmas card orders.

Not ready to send out Christmas cards…mail out a New Years card instead! It's still totally ok to send a card after Christmas… wishing friends and family a Happy New Year is still just as special as a holiday card (except you get a little extra time to mail them out!)

There are so many fun designs, whether you are looking to send out a family card or holiday party invitation, they have a plethora of adorable options.

This post is in partnership with Basic Invite, unique holiday photo cards. But of course all opinions are 100% my own. This post may contain affiliate links, for more information see my disclosure page. Thank you for supporting Megan the Vegan Mom so I can continue providing fun Vegan content!

This coming December will mark 4 years since I lost my baby. I wanted to tell my story in hope of helping families deal with this type of grief. As you read our story you will discover how much I needed support from other grieving families, but I didn’t know where to turn.

I recognize the mothers and fathers who carry their children in their hearts, not their arms. A families love never dies, you are not alone, you are loved.

(This story was originally posted on my personal/family blog, before I discontinued it. Its a bit rough, but I chose not to edit it because I wanted the same emotion to be expressed now as it did back then.)

As I sit down to write this story my heart is thumping and tears begin to run down my face. Our Story has taken me quite a few days to write. It was so hard for me to compose this story. It feels like Dec 13, 2014 was just yesterday, and I begin to cry and my body tenses with anxiety. But I know, I need to write down all the specific details for myself.....

On October 21, 2014 I went over to the grocery store and purchased a pregnancy test. My heart was pounding, I was so nervous of what the results would say. But why was I so scared? Sean and I have been together for over 5 years and married for 2 years. I am 25 and Sean is 31. We wanted to wait awhile before we had kids. Growing up in Utah people are insane and get married at 19 or 20 and pop out 3 kids by 22! We are definitely not the norm around here.

Sean and I made a goal to travel to Paris, France before we started a family… because who knows when we would get the chance again!

Before we left to France and Belgium we laid in bed one night talking for hours about the what if we had a baby, are we ready, am I too selfish with my time to have a child, do we have enough money, is our house big enough, how will the animals react, will I stay fat forever, will I be a good mom and dad, will there be complications in my pregnancy, will the baby have down syndrome or autism, what gender will it be, etc. After hours of talking and crying we decided that we cant predict the future and we are strong for what ever will happen, good, amazing, awful or sad.

We spent 1 lovely week in France & Belgium and had a wonderful time exploring!

When I came home from the grocery store on October 21, 2014, I went into the bathroom and did the deed. I left for 5 min trying to not let my anxiety kick in. Of course that didn't work. Like a creepy spy I cracked opened the door to slowly brace myself for whatever answer it could be. The test was the stick that showed || for positive or | for negative. At first I only saw one line so I was like umm okay bummer, not sad but not happy, just melancholy. Then as I looked at it more closely another line was appearing, I screamed out of shock! Sean overheard me in the living room and was like uh is everything okay.. I was like ya haha sorry! I didn't want to tell him yet because there was 1 solid line and 1 faint line so I was hesitant. I jumped online like a lunatic frantically searching sites where other members could tell me what they thought. A similar woman asked my question so I started reading the responses. They said “GIRL A LINE IS A LINE YOUR ARE DEFINITELY PREGNANT CONGRATS.” I screamed again and Sean was like what the hell?!?! I was like sorry, read something funny! At this moment in time I didn't know what to feel or how to act. But being the anal planner that I am I knew I had to tell Sean in a creative way!

The next day I went back to the store and bought the ridicously expensive kind of digital pee stick, the one that says pregnant 1-2 weeks or 2-3 weeks or 4+ weeks. The stick came out and said 2-3 weeks pregnant. I also bought a card for Sean that would be funny. Since it was around Halloween I bought this card…

I set up the camera on our china hutch, hidden behind a picture frame in the living room. You see I thought I was such a genius with my plan. Because every day when Sean comes home from work he does the exact same thing. He walks in the door takes off his coat gives me a kiss, sorts through the mail, grabs a beer from the fridge and relaxes in the exact same spot on the couch. I had positioned the camera to catch the exact location. As I eagerly await him to pull in the driveway I mentally prepare myself for the fun night ahead!

As Sean gets a beer in the fridge I head over and turn on the camera so it starts filming. But for some weird reason he isn't going over to the couch to relax, instead he decides to tell me a story about his Mother. Half listening because I am too anxious, Im like just go sit down while I make dinner, just go. By this time 5 mins had gone by on the camera. As he sits down I say oh hey I saw this funny card at the store today and bought it for you. I randomly toss the card on the couch and say here read it. I walk back into the kitchen and then slowly pop my head around the corner so I can watch his reaction. He looks up and sees me and says ARE YOU SERIOUS ARE YOU SERIOUS??? I start laughing and say YES then run and grab the two pee sticks so I can prove the reality to him. Hes like OH MY GOSH that was fast! I said I know apparently im fertile myrtle and it only took one time!

We hug and kiss and are both in shock and disbelief that our lives are about to be changed. We ended up not really eating dinner because we didn't have an appetite. As we sat down and rambled on about the next 9 months, we decided that we probably conceived the baby on our 2nd wedding anniversary in Paris and Belgium. We were so excited and scared! We are having a baby!!!

So that night I said hey lets go and buy a baby book so we can start reading it each month. So we headed out to barnes and noble and picked up this book, the same book every pregnant lady buys or receives!

We both decided we were going to wait until our 8 week apt to tell our parents and siblings. At this point I am about 6 weeks. I called my obgyn and make my first appt. By the info they give me, they inform me that my due date will be JULY 4, 2015! I was so excited, that is my favorite holiday and my birth month too! I knew there was a high chance that it wouldn't be born on that exact day but I was still excited!

After 1 week of knowing and not being able to tell anyone I was squealing inside, I begged Sean to have us at least tell my one and only sister! I needed advice on things I was feeling. (She had her first baby March 2013) I was so excited they would be somewhat close in age! Sean finally caved in and said fine, but just Heather because I want us both to know everything will be okay with you and the baby and that you for sure are pregnant! I laughed and was like OH I AM!

Sunday is our go to Movie day at the Megaplex, so after an afternoon movie I texted my sister and said hey I have a little gift for James can I come up and give it to him. They said yes so we drove up to Layton. Sean and I decided we wanted to film everyone's reactions when we told them we were pregnant. But just like I did for Sean, we wanted to hide the camera so they couldn't see it.

I had purchased this cute little bun in the oven hand crafted piece from Etsy ( half the size of my palm). I t was wrapped in an elegant brown box and when you opened the box there was a handcrafted bread bun with a piece of paper poking out of it. When you un rolled the paper it said BUN IN THE OVEN! Done baking July 2015! love Sean and Megan.

When we arrived at my sisters house we went into their kitchen and said hey Jameson come here I have something for you, meanwhile Sean stood in the corner and filmed it. Since he is only 1 years old Heather and Steve both helped him open it. My sister was able to read it quickly and stood up and said I KNEW IT. I said no you didn't, how could you, I laughed! Then Steve was a bit confused and didn't get it for a second, Jameson decided to put the clay bun in his mouth and we all started laughing! We all hugged and then they congratulated us and Steve and Sean had a celebratory beer together!

During the next few weeks I was so exhausted more than I have ever felt! I have never really been a nap in the middle of the day person, but everyday around 3pm I would zonk out for 2 hours. And each night I would fall asleep on the couch around 830pm. I felt like such an old grandma haha. There was a few scary times that I almost fell asleep driving! Every night I had to wake up a minimum of 2x to go pee, that was extremely annoying. I never vomited but I did get very nauseated if I didn't eat or snack on something.

Sean and I kept going back and forth on if we wanted to tell our family on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. Me, being a very inpatient pregnant woman, decided on Thanksgiving! I found this very cute saying I wanted to put on a large poster board. So we printed it out and placed it together.

I wasn’t Vegan at the time……. Sorry!

The day before my 8 week appt. we were having dinner at my Mothers house. Between Sean and I we have 5 sets of families to visit each holiday. Thank you divorces and adoptions! So this Sunday my mother was hosting her Thanksgiving dinner for us. I decided to use the same little cute bun in the oven and have my mom keep it. I placed the cute box on top of her plate so when she sat down to eat she would see it. When we ( Sean, myself, brother in law, nephew, sister, step dad, mom) were all finally seated at the table and before the blessing was said, I stood up and said, Mom I wanted to give you a little gift for hosting this wonderful thanksgiving dinner. She said oh thank you and proceeded to open the tiny box. Meanwhile very sneaky in the corner of the table my brother in law was filming my mothers reaction. My mom opened the box and squealed and was like ARE YOU SERIOUS OH MY GOSH!! I CANT BELIEVE IT! I THOUGHT YOU WERE WAITING AWHILE! AND ITS DUE IN JULY, THE SAME AS YOU! WOW WHAT A SURPRISE! We hugged and took a picture together. I informed her that we hadn't told anyone yet and wanted to wait till Thanksgiving.

The next day was our first appt with the Doctor. I was so excited to see our baby on the ultrasound! Like always I had to pee really really bad! Once we were called into his office the weighed me and then asked me to go and pee on the stick ( my office doesn't do the cup ). I felt so relived haha! The doctor came in and felt around my cervix and determined I was right on time and my due date was accurate! I said do we get an ultrasound? He said well you need a full bladder for it to be clear. I was like uh!! I just had one but they made me pee right when I arrived. He said okay we can try.

We walked over to the ultrasound room and I had Sean film the whole time. He put the gel on my lower stomach and started moving around, it said it was difficult to find it since my bladder was completely empty. After a bit of pressing down and searching he said there it is and pointed to it. I was like what I don't see it! The screen looked like a fuzzy TV set! He said its the small white thing flickering and moving like a worm. I saw it and was like oh that's it. He laughed and said yes its tiny but there and moving! And you only have 1! Sean was relived! He was so nervous we would be having twins for some odd reason! I said can we hear the heartbeat and he said no its too early for that. Your next appt you will be able to hear it! I said okay and we went and did my blood work and headed home for the evening.

My sister went and surprised me with my first baby present!

A few days before Thanksgiving, Sean's adopted Dad and family were in town from Houston. On Friday, a few of us went out to eat. Sean and I had put together a cute little gift for his dad and step mom. We got a bag labeled stork delivery and placed a bottle inside, with a tag that says expected delivery July 4, 2015. They were absolutely thrilled, his aunt cried and Toby and Janet gave us hugs! We enjoyed a lovely dinner talking about our future plans with the baby.

His Aunt Kari was throwing a dinner party Saturday night. We decided to tell the rest of the Brown family that night. After dinner we got in a really big group and had Kari's next door neighbor take our picture. I asked her to count to 3 and then tell everyone to say MEGANS PREGNANT! Every was like uh what, the faces we priceless and it was such a funny moment!

On Thanksgiving evening we were with my moms side of the family ( minus my mom she was at Kevins family). While everyone was eating dessert I said Hey I have a game to play so will everyone look over here, they looked over and I was holding my cute little Thanksgiving sign! They screamed with excitement while Sean filmed there reactions and responses! We only have 2 babies in our family everyone else is 16yrs or older. They were definitely excited for a new little babe!

We made a little sign for our English Mastiff, Sloane to hang around her neck for our Social Media Announcement.

During the few weeks I still had nausea and exhaustion but felt pretty normal. And we continued to tell the rest of our family members. We have an awesome compilation of there filmed reactions! We decided to wait and tell friends and social Media tell after Christmas.

Sean and I had slowly started on getting our lives ready for the baby. We went and looked at nursery sets, strollers, diaper bags, etc. We also went over to our bank and created a "baby saving fund" that we would add $ to 2x per month. Sean and I had such a fun time watching THE BUMP app's videos on the baby's weekly progress and reading the book together before we went to bed.

Each week I was taking weekly pictures of myself growing. And for each month I was going to post a little info about how big the baby was, how I was feeling etc. So I created my first poster for my 8th week.

Here are my progress pics….

WEEK 6

8 WEEKS

9 WEEKS

10 WEEKS

I forgot to take a picture of week 11.

*** Reader beware of graphic details ahead ***

On Saturday December 13th 2014, I woke up at 5am because I had to be at work at 6am. I went into the bathroom to pee and noticed two medium size dots of blood on my panties. I started to panic but then realized that it was somewhat normal, at least from all the reading I had done. Still being nervous I woke Sean up and told him what was going on. Freaking myself out even more I decide to call my mom at 5:15am and tell her whats going on. She tells me to call my doctor. Since it was the weekend and early in the morning. I had to leave a message for the on call doctor. When the doctor called me back I informed her what was going on. She said it was pretty normal and that I shouldn't worry unless I was bleeding enough to fill up a period pad and if that happened I would need to go into the E.R. I hung up the phone called my mom back and decided to get out of bed and get dressed for work. As I stood up from my bed I felt a big blop come out of my vagina. I squeezed my legs together and ran to the bathroom. My mom was still on the phone but I dropped the phone on the bathroom floor. I opened my legs and blood gushed down my leg. It was the most dramatic and incredible amount of blood I had ever seen. The bathroom floor and my pants were covered in blood. I start screaming and crying hysterically. Yelling Sean, NO NO I don't want to loose my baby. He said okay we are leaving now to the ER. He grabs the phone and tells my mom and hangs up. I pull up my soaking wet pants and climb into our Land Rover. I was getting blood all over the leather seats. We drove to the nearest hospital in Bountiful not my regular hospital in Salt Lake City.

They place me in an ER room and start drawing my blood from my right arm. They were watching my blood pressure and then sent in the on call obgyn. He explained that he needed to go in an see if my cervix was still closed. If it was still closed I had not had a miscarriage. If it was open then I had a miscarriage. With all the blood I had lost no one was sure of the outcome. He used a tool, felt around and also shined a large light into me. He determined that my cervix was still closed and that I had a "threatened miscarriage". I said what does that mean? He said I had a 50% chance of loosing the baby soon as my body might of started the process of getting rid of it. Or I will go on to have a normal pregnancy. Next they sent in an ultrasound tech. Since it was an ER they didn't have the normal machine. It was a freaking lap top. I was annoyed and frustrated. I said will this work? He said yes for the basic information but its not the best. We cant hear the heartbeat just see if the baby is still there. So he put the gel on and moved around. He saw that it was still intact and up there. It wasn't clear to see if it was moving just enough to know it was still in there.

Sean and I were at the ER from 530am-11am it was such an awful experience, but we ended up leaving with hope and that I will just be on bed rest for the next two days until I see my obgyn on Monday for my 12 week appt.

The rest of the day I just laid on the bed or the couch, rotating between the two. I was suppose to babysit my nephew that evening while my sister and brother in law went to a Christmas concert. They had been informed of what had been going on and were hesitant to bring him over. I said no I should be fine, plus Sean is here and they can play together. I tried to play cars with him but got too exhausted. Around 8pm my stomach started hurting really bad. I asked Sean to call his Dad in Kaysville to come over and give me a blessing. I was so scared. I went into the bedroom closed the door and layed on my bed. The pain kept coming on stronger and then would stop. At this point I realized I was having contractions. I yelled for Sean to come into the bedroom and he saw how much pain I was in. He squeezed my hand and then a few minutes later I screamed. A huge pop like sensation just happened. It was so incredibly painful. I said I need to get up and go to the bathroom. As I was walking to the bathroom blood was streaming down my leg. I sat down on the toilet and cupped my hand so I could catch everything that was coming out.

Since we came home from the hospital I hadn't cried, I was just in shock or denial of what was happening to me. As I sat on the toilet catching my placenta and baby coming out, I just held it in my hand, on my lap looking at it and touching it softly. Large tissue chunks the size of my palm, along with large blood droplets kept falling into the toilet. Ive only seen my husband cry 2x and tonight was the 3rd. Ive never seen him cry so hard, I felt so bad for what I had done and caused. I didn't know how to comfort him. He just leaned against the door frame crying and watching me hold or baby.

Sean called my mother to come over and get my nephew. When she came into the house she ran into the bathroom crying. She said Meg I am so sorry I don't know why this happened. God must have another plan, or something just wasn't right yet. I didn't respond or cry, I just sat there on the toilet holding my baby in a small towel. I was in such a state of shock that I was completely numb.

My mom left so she could take Jameson home. By this point the blood on the floor, toilet, my legs and hands was dry. My bathroom looked like a horrible murder scene.

Seans dad Mark called and said he was almost to our house. Sean came into the bathroom and was trying to help me get up. I didn't want to put it down or let go of it. But he helped me place it and the towel into a bowl. He put a towel around me and helped me into bed. Mark came in and gave me a blessing. I was grateful for it but was still angry that God would have let this happen to us. I am a really healthy woman. I never get sick or the flu or anything!

Seans dad left and I asked Sean to help me back into the bathroom. I leaned against the tub and sat down on the tile holding it. My sister and brother in law came over afterwards to pick up Jameson and learned what happened. With tears in his eyes, Sean told them what had just happened. My sister came into the bathroom and tried to talk me into taking a bath and cleaning all the blood off my body. I said no I just want to sit here and hold it. I just couldn't bare to let go of it.

By this time almost an hour had passed and my baby and placenta had sadly started to soften and deflate. My sister forced me into the tub and then let Sean come in and help bathe me since I was so weak and could not stand up by myself. After Sean helped me clean myself up in the bathroom he helped me into bed. He went and scrubbed the bathroom clean and placed the baby in a small safe container so we could take it to my doctor on Monday.

As I laid in bed I pleaded with God that this was just a dream and I would wake up tomorrow still happy and pregnant. I woke up Sunday morning and realized it was not a dream and that it was a very sad reality. I turned over to Sean and started to sob into his chest. I just kept saying why why why??!! What did I do to make this happen? We just laid in bed holding each other and crying.

Monday Sean left work early, came home and picked me up so we could go see my doctor. I was so sick to my stomach I did not want to be doing this. Holding my baby in a Tupperware container we walked into the office. I had to wait in the waiting room starring at all these pregnant women or newly born babies. Sean new this was hard for me and said don't look around just look at me we can get through this.

As my name was called we walked into the office, my doctor just had to look at me and i burst into tears again. He said Im sorry and went in and checked to make sure my cervix had closed, it had. Then he proceeded to tell me that 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriages. Those words meant nothing. Well shit I was that 1% ! He told me to be on bed rest for 4-5 days and that I would still continue to bleed for 2 weeks. Great I thought, a constant reminder every single day that I lost my baby. He said I did nothing to cause it and that it would not affect my future pregnancies. He asked for the Tupperware container so they could examine it and make sure my body had passed everything. He came back and said it had. We left the office empty and depressed.

For the next week I laid in bed all day and all night just crying and reliving Saturday night all over in my head. I didn't shower or change my clothes. I didn't want to face my family and close friends and tell them what had happened. I didn't want to talk about it. People kept calling and texting me. I didn't want to answer. I was completely miserable I didn't know who to talk to. Sloane my English mastiff could sense that I was sad and depressed. Her sweet companionship helped ease my pain.

I didn't know anyone that had gone through this, except one. I texted one of my friends and vented to them, for they were the only person who would understand. I ignored my family and friends and pushed people away. I didn't want to go out in public and see other pregnant women and new born babies. I couldn't handle it.

At the end of the week Sean forced me to shower and change me clothes. He said you are leaving this house, and we are going out. He took me to my favorite restaurant and for a moment I felt better, or maybe it was just my margarita numbing the pain. But I just loved Sean even more for doing his best to love and help me through this. I knew he was sad too, but he is such a strong soul.

The following week was Christmas and I did not want to face the Holiday. Christmas came and it definitely wasn't the cheerful day it should have been for us. My mom told my family not to mention it to me, but of course they still did. They were trying to show they cared. I was trying to be so strong, but every time some one came up and said im sorry, or hugged me, or said are you okay, I just started crying and said I don't want to talk about it.

Weeks went on and I tried to live my life without breaking down every 5 minutes. Sean was and still is my biggest support and love. I decided I wanted to get a tattoo to resemble our baby. It was my very first tattoo and I am so happy about it. I love looking at it everyday. A teeny heart to represent our teeny baby.

Not a day goes by that we do not think of our lost baby. Would it have been a girl or a boy? What would we have named it?

It is still hard for me to talk about but I am learning that it is okay to talk about it. As I have been more open I have learned that a lot of women have experienced this. It makes me so sad for them but also frustrated that I felt so alone in this situation. I wish I could have reached out to more people to be comforted by or to help comfort them. The only miscarriages I had ever heard about were in the movies, sadly….. like UP and What to Expect when you are Expecting

This week, the first week of February 2015, I would have been 20 weeks along in my pregnancy.

My final thoughts would be to please be careful of your actions and words. You do not know what others have been through. Don't tell them it will be okay or you can have another one or that its very common etc. Just love, kiss and hold them. Tell them that you are there for them.

To our baby, you were a dream, then a reality, and now a memory in our hearts.

love

sean and megan ﻿

I felt like I was on a mini vacation…Sipping on a Starbucks Tea while cruising the aisles of Target child free!Target is a one-stop shop for pretty much everything! I leave with about $200 worth of stuff I never knew I needed. The problem is that every section is filled with something to tempt you.

I love how I can run into Target and grab my favorite vegan snacks, beauty products, and clothes for Graham or decor for the house!

Below I have listed a few of my favorite vegan things you can buy at Target, to help you ease into a vegan diet that is also kid approved!

Raise your hand if you are a Joanna Gaines fan! I just can’t help myself with there farmhouse collection, half of my living room decor is from the Magnolia collection!

I love finding cruelty free beauty products. Because whats better than feeling and looking great without harming animals!? Target is brilliant for multiple reasons, but I especially love their stores are accessible – you don’t have to live near a health food store to purchase vegan makeup and skincare anymore. Shop Pacifica's Roll on Perfume

Fun Fact… did you know that NOT all Doritios chips contain cheese? Sean and I have been chowing down on the Spicy Sweet Chili chips. Graham thinks they are a bit spicy, so he will stick to his Lays Pickle Chips.

XOXO

The 4th of July is my absolute favorite holiday and has been since I was a kid. Well, who am I kidding? I love almost every damn holiday. I think the fact that it’s summer and my birthday month makes it so much better. Growing up my family always made the 4th special with parties and decorations. My mom also made me fun outfits to match my sister.

Wednesday is America's birthday and who doesn't love birthdays?! I also happen to love parades, fireworks, and all things food! Not only is it a special day celebrating veterans and America's independence, but a day full of fun, happiness, and the sunshine!

We start the morning off with our local town's parade! I enjoy watching the marching bands and hearing the music. It brings me back to my fun high school cheerleading days. Graham loves to hear all the fun sirens and horns of the different vehicles.

The food is always good during this holiday. I'm talking grilled corn on the cob, pasta salad, watermelon, and some fun red, white, and blue decorated desserts. Yum!

PATRIOTIC FRUIT SALSA

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup diced strawberries

1 cup diced jicama

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded

Juice of 1 large lime

Salt, to taste

Tortilla chips, for serving

I love all the typical 4th of July decorations and enjoy decorating the inside and outside of my home. The red, white, and blue clothes, swim suits, stars, flags, food, and everything else are super fun and get me in the holiday spirit!

My family has always loved the good old fashioned fireworks. I always love watching the fun and unique colors exploding in the sky. Makes for a great end to a fun filled day! I shouldn’t have to say more than that, but only the most special of days, do we get to see fireworks. They have almost a magical effect: how they shoot up and ignite the sky with light and color, how everyone seems to stop what they are doing, forget their worries and are completely captivated until the show’s finale.

I wanted to do a quick DIY craft for the kids this year. I thought it would be fun to have something for the babies and adults to pick up and enjoy while watching the fireworks. I recently bought some patriotic scrapbook paper off of amazon. Shop it HEREI simply cut the paper into strips, each a few inches wide.And began wrapping the paper around these yummy guys.Then sealed the wrap with a little double stick tape.Now you have your self some fun Red Vine Fireworks!

On this day I am thankful to those who serve and have served to make our freedom a reality. The patriotism on the 4th is unmatched by any other day and it’s quite an incredible feeling. I get goosebumps every time we say the pledge of allegiance or someone is singing our nation anthem. It hits my heart and I am so happy I live in this country and am able to call it home.

Sean and I built this home and moved in about a year and a half ago. We were moving out of our very first home we bought together. It was a remodled 1950's brick rambler, but the best part was the acre of a backyard. Fully engulfed with vegetation, fruit trees, strawberry & raspberry bushes, and vines galore. It was my favorite space in the house, in fact the backyard was bigger than our actual house, LOL!

So from moving into a newer neighborhood , starting from scratch with minimal vegetation, I was a bit saddened I was not able to enjoy my new backyard. The back patio has taken a "backseat" if you will and I have pursued other projects. But now a year and a half later its finally complete!

We live on a golf course with an open communal backyard where fencing is not allowed. Somedays I like it, but to be honest most days I hate it, LOL. Oh well, we knew this going into building, so its our own fault. But I was determined to make our backyard space an enjoyable outdoor paradise! I was eager to have family dinner out on the patio. Inviting my family and friends over to enjoy a few cocktails and appetizers brings me happiness!

Here’s what the old patio looked like …

We only had this tiny cement pad for the past year, so when we decided to update our backyard patio we hired EARTH WORKS to extend our concrete and level our grass. They did a great job and I am very pleased with the outcome.

Next up was trying to decide the theme and layout since our space was pretty small. I wanted to maximize it as much as I could and not waste any space. First we ordered our Pergola and installed it into the cement, after that we ordered the furniture, lights, and decor. For details on where I purchased all the products for my patio, scroll down to the bottom of this post for the links.

Last night was our first official family dinner on the patio and Graham jammed out to some 80's music while Sean & I enjoyed the view of our little man and new patio!

I have a few things for the patio on backorder that didn't arrive in time for our photoshoot (Bar Cart, Tiki Torches, and more string lights) When I get those installed I will take more pictures and update you guys on the finished look!

Here is what it looks like in the evening with the lights turned on. I can't wait to see what the tiki torches and string lights add to the feel of it!

All of these products can be found on my Like To Know It page. Download the Free app on your smart phone or view it on your computer. Search my name and follow along! But for a quick reference I have supplied the links for you below.

We decided to make a sweet day even sweeter by planning a picnic in the park. Graham and I invited my mother, Pattie, to join us for a Mother's Day celebration at our local duck pond. To make our set up, we piled on pretty pillows to create a cozy spot and brought our favorite instrument for some fun music.

The menu doesn't have to be fussy, because HELLO we have a toddler involved here, LOL! We put together a light yet kid friendly lunch of hummus & pita bread, fresh fruits, snap peas, cucumbers, dates and almonds followed by my moms favorite Lemon Bar and accompanied by homemade lemonade. Dessert definitely ramps up any occasion — even a simple picnic like this.

Creative little finger-foods are Graham's favorite, so I put fruit and mini Peanut Butter & Jelly Squares on a kabob.

Now that Graham is transitioning from a baby to a very active toddler it’s time we start tossing out the baby bottles to training cups. We have limited it down to one bottle a day, usually when I am reading him a goodnight book. We've been practicing for a few months now and Graham is now preferring theMunchkin Splash Cupwhen we are sitting down to eat. He is still learning not to tilt the cup back to the point of pouring water down himself, but sometimes I think he enjoys it because of his sneaky laughter!

Graham started feeding himself a few months after he turned one. He is now at the stage where he insists on feeding himself, he will actually get upset if I want to "baby" him. I guess it helps when I want to get the dishes done or maybe it doesn't... because by the end he is usually wearing his food. But since we started implementing the Munchkin Scooper SpoonsGraham has become significantly less messy, making my job WAY easier! I like that the Scooper helps him learn how to self feed and that he can use it with his right or left hand. I haven't been able to notice which one is more dominant... he uses both hands quite often.

Graham honestly takes his Munchkin Snack Catchereverywhere. You have probably seen multiple Instagram Video Stories of him using it in his carseat, while we are out running errands. I love the easy access for his tiny fingers while preventing him from spilling out the entire contents. Graham will stick his whole fist in and only be able to pull out one or two cheerios! I usually toss in cheerios, vegan cheese crackers, veggie sticks, or dried fruit. I absolutely love knowing that he isn't making a gigantic mess in the back of my car.

After lunch we headed over to the pond to say "Hello" to the duckies and work on our Nature Scavenger hunt.

I have always adored the Munchkin brand even before Graham was born. Back when I was registering for my baby showers, over half of my items were Munchkin! I was delighted to meet a few members of their team at a Conference I attended earlier this year. They were incredibly friendly, upbeat, and very genuine. Just another reason for me to love this company. This post is in collaboration with Munchkin but I want my readers to know that my thoughts and comments are purely my own. We have used Munchkin products since the day Graham came home from the hospital, from the diaper pail, to bottles, and bath accessories.

Munchkins baby lifestyle products are pure genius and have been my saving grace in multiple "Mommy Moments" this past year!

As I have grown up and become a mother of my own, I realized that we view our moms in very different ways, from a child, to teenager, and now adulthood, but no matter the stage, they always remain special to us.

My mother has a resiliency that amazes me! In her life she has encountered, as many of us do, hardships, struggles, painful situations that take strength and determination to rebound from. Just looking at her deal with decisions and sometimes even mistakes, made me realize what a strength in my life she is. The lessons she has taught are things that will stay with me for a lifetime.There have been times I would never get along with her, but at the same time I have also wondered what I did to deserve such a caring mother. So for all of these things that I can never put into words, I owe her my life and gratitude... Thank you for being my Mom.

I would love to hear what you’ve learned from your Mom, or, if you’re a mother, I’d love to hear what you’ve learned from your child!

Since becoming Vegan I have heard so many good things about Portland, Oregon. Apparently the VEGAN scene is huge there! I had to make may way up there sooner rather than later! So Sean and I planned out 2 whole days dedicated to stuffing our faces with as much Vegan food as possible! This mini trip was solely just to EAT, and we sure did!

We left Salt Lake City, jumped on an Airplane and flew to Portland!

DAY 1

After getting our rental car from the airport, we decided that our first stop was to grab lunch at BLOSSOMING LOTUSThey serve organic vegan fusion dishes, including some raw foods, served in a casual, stylish room with a bar. (Completely Vegan Menu)

Seriously without a doubt the best Nachos I have ever tasted in my life!

Next up we decided to drive 30 minutes outside of Portland to walk around a famous Tulip Festival at WOODEN SHOE TULIP FARM

If you are in the area during March and April I highly recommend going to this beautiful farm! It was completely stunning and had cute little benches to sit on, perfect photo op! Plus there was a windmill, pink tractors, a wooden shoe train for kids, and a market to buy fresh flowers and gifts! It was tulip heaven! Prepare yourself for mega beautiful Tulip pictures, but I promise there is a lot more vegan Portland food adventures below, just keep scrolling!

My hunter boots really came in handy because it was super muddy due to all the rain!

Dare to be different... Orange rose inside the Pink tulips...

Yes I know I said this was a dedicated FOODIE trip, but we had to make a stop here! I mean come on, just look at it! Plus they only bloom for a few weeks each year.

Next up we checked into our hotel. We stayed at the KIMPTON HOTEL MONACO in Portland, because it was central to a lot of the downtown restaurants we were planning on eating at, and because I love seeing dogs roam around the hotel! A very dog friendly hotel!

Photo courtesy of Hotel Monaco Portland

We unpacked, freshened up after our muddy adventure at the Tulip Farm and walked around Downtown to grab dessert.We stopped at VOODOO DOUGHNUT(Partial Vegan Menu)

We arrived around 3pm and there was barely a line, which apparently is very rare. This shop is open 24hours a day and is constantly busy! But we lucked out I guess. The bottom level of there case is filled with vegan options. We bought:Traditional glaze,Apple FritterChocolate GlazeButterfinger

My favorite was the Glaze and Sean enjoyed the Apple Fritter. But to be completely honest... I don't believe it was worth the hype. I personally have had better tasting vegan doughnuts. They were yummy but if I were to come back and see the line half way around the block, I wouldn't wait in line.

Then we walked over to grab some Ice Cream... hahaha... even though we were full!I heard that SALT & STRAW was Portland's new "it" Ice Cream shop, so we decided to check it out. They only had one Vegan Ice Cream flavor, Roasted Strawberry Coconut. It did not disappoint, so delicious!(Partial Vegan Menu)

After snacking on a few desserts, we walked back to our hotel to drop off the rest of the doughnuts... we were saving the rest for our plane ride home. Got in our rental car and headed over the bridge to NO BONES BEACH CLUBWalking into this lively, two-story space takes you out of the rainy weather of Portland and into tiki cocktails amidst tropical decor. This is a fun vegan spot that serves imaginative accented snacks, sandwiches, tacos and entrees alongside classic tiki cocktails and craft brews.(Completely Vegan Menu)

The wait to get a table was quick but the service to receive our food was incredibly long, which was a bit annoying. And I apologize for the quality of photos, the lighting was terrible. If you are not a fan of dark moody themed restaurants, then this is not for you. You will need to pull out your cell phone to see your entree or ask to sit by a window.

I ordered their Grilled Volcano Roll:Which has spicy white beans, red pepper, scallion, sesame & cucumber with nori, crunchy peas, cabbage, carrots, wasabi mayo, sweet soy glaze.It was pretty good, but in my opinion it had too much mayo in it. I felt like I was eating a cream cheese roll.

Next up we drove down to a dedicated Vegan Cheese shop called VTOPIAWe were still so full from all the food we ate today but I just had to try their housemade cheeses! We ordered a cheese platter and were able to choose as many cheeses as we wanted to sample. It cost $5 per cheese wedge and was served with crackers, fruit, and olives. I asked if they shipped out of state because I was so in love with all the cheeses, but sadly they do not.My favorite was the Dill and Sean loved the Cheddar.(Completely Vegan Menu)

At this point we could barely breathe. We had stuffed our selves to the brim! We decided to make a stop at the famous POWELLS BOOKSTORE to try and walk off some of our food before heading back to the hotel. We grabbed a few books for Graham and explored the multiple levels and areas of this massive bookstore! It reminded me a bit of FOX Books from the movie You've Got Mail.

Photo Courtesy of Powells Books

DAY 2

We woke up still full from yesterday but got ready for another fun filled foodie day in Portland. We decided to pack our bags and check out of the hotel in the morning, since we knew we probably wouldn't have time to later that evening. Our goal was to cram in as much vegan food as we could!

For Breakfast we headed over to HARLOWThey serve gluten-free, organic vegetarian and vegan fare in a vintage-inspired dining room.(Partial Vegan Menu)

We started with drinks:I ordered the Harlow Latte with organic trailhead roasters coffee & cashew-hazelnut milk.Sean ordered the Holy Terror Mary with Monopolowa vodka and their signature mary mix served on the rocks with a salt rim and house pickled vegetables.

This place was top notch in the breakfast department. Everything we tasted from the drinks to the entrees and my little side order of their Carrot Cupcake was divine!

After breakfast we decided to walk down the street outside the restaurant and just browse the hip little area of Hawthorne.

Next up was the moment I had been waiting for since we planned this trip! We were headed to a Vegan Strip Mall! Thats right... a row of shops dedicated to everything vegan! Oh I was so giddy! We pulled up right before 10am so we had to wait in our car a minute for the shops to open. I felt like I was at the beginning entrance to Disneyland or something!

The first shop we went into was SWEETPEA BAKING COMPANY. It is a vegan bakery featuring wedding cakes, baked goods & light fare like soups and sandwiches.I wanted to try it all but again I was so full! So I grabbed a Chocolate Chip Cookie to nibble on and Sean ordered a Latte with Almond Milk.

Hopping on over to the shop next door, HERBIVORE CLOTHING COMPANYIt is a small shop that sells eco-friendly T-shirts & leather-free shoes, belts & bags, plus vegan cookbooks, and the best Vegan memes/phrase stickers!

I bought a book for Graham called "Thats Why We Don't Eat Animals." It is by the same author of our favorite book, "V is for Vegan." You can find the links to these books on the right side bar of my blog. I also purchased a black sweatshirt that says, "Be Kind Especially to Animals" and a blue zip up hoodie labeled "Herbivore." Plus a darling heart shaped necklace with "VEGAN" engraved in the center.

Onto the next shop, which was a Vegan Grocery store called FOOD FIGHT!Its a supermarket specializing in animal-free junk foods, frozen entrees, household products, supplements & fresh produce.Oh my goodness I couldn't stop smiling! I told the clerk I was so happy to be here and that I wish each city had a large dedicated Vegan Grocery store just like this!

I tried to purchase as much as my suitcase allowed, but I was able to take home;Peppered JerkyChocolate Chip Animal CrackersBlack Bean & Lime SoupChocolate Covered CaramelsMini Peanut Butter Cracker SandwichesMini Marshmallows

After leaving the amazing Mini Vegan Strip Mall, we drove out of Portland to do some sightseeing since we couldn't consume any more food at the moment. Don't worry we still had a few more places to stop before we flew home... keep scrolling!

I had seen wonderful pictures of the falls online and insisted we stop here while in Oregon. The drive out of Portland and into MULTNOMAH FALLS was beautiful. As you are driving the Columbia River Gorge is on your left and random little waterfalls running down the cliffs to your right.

We stopped and parked in their designated area and walked under the bridge up towards the falls. At the base of Multnomah Falls, is the Historic Multnomah Falls Lodge where you can relax, eat, or inquire at the visitor information center. We didn't stop inside the lodge because we were just too full and wanted to save room in our stomachs for more vegan food in Portland.

The fall was beautiful with bright green moss growing on every rock, tree and branch. The walking path up to the bridge was closed due to a fire in September 2017, that grew to 3,000 acres overnight and ultimately reached 48,831 acres. The lodge below was saved from the fire.

As we drove back towards Portland we made one more stop at a famous look out point called, VISTA HOUSE. It is only a few miles away from Multnomah Falls. In fact there is actually a road above the highway that connects the two locations, but it is currently closed due to that fire incident.

The windy drive up the mountain to the look out point was beautiful. It was fun to see homes and farms with incredible views of the river. When we arrived we parked our car and looked out upon the river, and then made our way into the house to view the historic building and its artifacts.

Vista House is a museum at Crown Point in Multnomah County, Oregon, that also serves as a memorial to Oregon pioneers and as a comfort station for travelers on the Historic Columbia River Highway.

Look out point towards Multnomah Falls.

Look out point towards Portland

As we made our way back down to the highway, we quickly stopped off at a small look out post to view the Vista House from another angle. If you look to the top right of the photo you can see the dome building on the cliff.

We drove back to downtown Portland and grabbed lunch at BRIDGEPORT BREW PUB.It is a 2-story, industrial-chic space that serves craft brewery and upscale bar food.(Partial Vegan Menu)

We only had time for one more quick stop! I was conflicted on where to to go because I had so many places I wanted to visit and taste. Luckily our waitress at Bridgeport was incredibly nice and told us we needed to visit BACK TO EDEN BAKERY & CAFE.

That Oatmeal Creme Pie was by far one of the best desserts I have ever tasted! My mouth is drooling for one right now!

And then sadly we had to return home, but we were excited to see Graham and give him his gifts!

It was an incredible 2 days filled with amazing Vegan food! We stuffed ourselves so much that I didn't want to eat for a day and a half, I was so full!

We will definilty have to make it back up to Portland soon to finish up the restaurants we were not able to try, like...AVIV (Israeli & Middle Eastern)BLACK WATER BAR (Punk and Metal themed Bar)CAPITOL (Kaleidoscopic colorful Bar)VIRTUOUS PIE (plant based Pizza)

Honestly everything was really really delicious, and I highly recommend making a trip up to Portland to try out all the Vegan options they have to offer, because its overwhelming good!

My absolute favorite dish from our trip was a tie between the Live Nachos from Blossoming Lotus and the Oatmeal Creme Whoopie Pie from Back to Eden!Seans favorite dish was the Cheeseburger from Blossoming Lotus.

What is the most opened door in your house? Mine is definitely our kitchen pantry. I don't even know how many times during the day I just open it aimlessly staring, hoping something jumps out and feeds me! Hahah I hope I am not alone in that situation?

Cooking with only plant-based foods is not as difficult as it seems, it simply takes some time to learn new techniques and embrace a new world full of flavors. However, in order to explore new eating habits, it is essential to have ingredients on hand in order to avoid those desperate “there is nothing to eat!” moments. While adjusting takes time and learning, a plant-based diet becomes more than just a change on your plate, it becomes a lifestyle!

When it comes to stocking your pantry, there are many options, however, I am going to start with a list of the canned and other dried goods that we keep on our shelves.

BEANSBeans and legumes are the foundation of many great vegan meals and an essential in any plant-based pantry. Look for good-quality beans, without additives, or better yet, organic canned or jarred beans from natural food stores. Some of our favorites include the following:

Black beans

Black-eyed peas

Chickpeas (garbanzos)

Great northern beans (cannellini)

Refried beans

Pinto beans

Red or kidney beans

Canned tomatoes are another go-to ingredient in our house. We use them for spaghetti sauce with added chickpeas and veggies, or they can be added to a curry to bulk it up and provide some flavor. We tend to keep a variety of diced, pureed, paste and chopped tomatoes in our vegan pantry.All of the canned foods were placed on tiered shelves for easy viewing.

WHOLE GRAINS AND WHOLE GRAIN FLOURSWe go through pounds of couscous, wild rice, and quinoa. They are staples in our pantry. Whole grains are healthier because they contain higher amounts of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, protein and fiber, which will help you feel full.

HERBS AND SPICES (dried)Keep a good range of commonly used varieties on hand; seasoning blends, especially an all-purpose salt-free herb-and-spice blend, nutritional yeast (we dump that on everything!), curry powder, as well as an Italian herb seasoning blend, are especially useful.

OILS

Coconut oil (organic, extra-virgin)

Dark sesame oil

Extra-virgin olive oil

Safflower, sunflower, or other light-flavored oil

VINEGARS

Balsamic (dark and/or white)

Red wine or white wine vinegar

Rice vinegar (for Asian-style cooking)

Organic apple cider vinegar

PASTAS AND NOODLESKeep a good supply of different sizes and shapes of pasta in your pantry. Some useful shapes to have on hand include angel hair, thin spaghetti, rotini, penne, fettuccine, and linguine.About once a week we use Asian noodles, such as udon, soba, rice noodles, and bean thread noodles.

NUTS, SEEDS, AND NUT AND SEED BUTTERSI tend to keep sesame, sunflower, flax, and chia seeds available. Flax seed mixed with water can also act as a binding agent, taking the place of eggs in baked goods. We like to snack on peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans, and we use sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds for our avocado toasts and salads.

I worked with Tracy from Organize Simply. She was my saving grace in helping me organize my pantry! She is a certified home organizer. Luckily for us The Container Store was having their kitchen/pantry sale and we snagged almost everything at 25% off! We also purchased a few baskets and bins from Home Goods and Target. I wanted a clean look with a mix of clear containers and wicker baskets.

Tracy came into my home and started pulling everything out from my pantry and kitchen sink. By the time everything was spread out, all of my countertops and tables were covered in food. She then removed all the packaging and boxes, to avoid taking up unnecessary space. We would be replacing them with the clear containers to make it easier to see what you actually have in stock. She organized my pantry by sections; Baking, breakfast, dinner, pasta and snacks ect. It helps when items have a place of their own so they are utilized more and wasted less. I put the paper & plastic ware on the bottom floor because we don’t use it that often. I divided it into two separate baskets: Napkins & Straws, Utensils (which I grouped into plastic bags according to type & the mount I would need for a small party), and Plates, Bowls, & Cups.

Next we moved over to the kitchen sink and straightened it up. Things get hidden easily in a dark cupboard under the sink, so we used clear bins to organize and see what's happening in there. Tracy blew my mind when she added the door hooks. She attached a couple hooks, so I could hang my washcloths and gloves neatly.

Once your pantry is stocked, you’ll want some ideas and inspiration to get you started! Here are some of my favorite vegan recipes, click here.

I have learned that Christmas magic is powerful, but the power in our hearts is even more magical. Our ability to love one another, to renew our faith and bring hope into our lives and the lives of others.

Christmas is indeed a time for sharing in gift giving and celebrating, too. But the greatest gifts are not those wrapped in fine papers or dressed in colorful bows. (Believe me I love fancy wrapped packages!) They are those given with an open heart, one wrapped in the lovely ribbons of faith, hope, and love.

We are all, in our own way, trying to make a difference for something good. It is important that we educate in a way that expresses compassion and love because it is only then that people will listen. We are all human, we are not perfect, but we are all fighting for a common cause that is bigger then we are.

I was not born vegan, therefore I have to remember what it was like to be unaware. I educated myself on the cruelty to animals and researched about factory farming. It broke my heart and I had to make a change to better my health and the lives of animals.

So my Christmas wish to all, is to have an open heart and mind to continue learning about Veganism.

We’re excited to share with you a little peek into Christmas around our house. It’s not a part of any official tour, nor was I asked to decorate my house–it’s just what we like to do to make this time of year especially magical for Teddy Graham.

You can find the sources for everything in our home at the bottom of this post.

I love a Candy Cane themed Christmas. So we have decked our entire main floor in red and white.

Cookies and baking are a huge part of our family traditions. I love watching Graham explore all the different food textures.

I can't help buy Christmas books every time I am out and about. The cozy feeling of snuggled up on the bed reading with my little boy, warms my heart.

When I learned I was having a boy I thought I would never be able to wear matching outfits with him. I am so happy I have found multiple items we can wear together. We will see how long he lets me match with him, haha.

My mom and I always decorated each room in the house when I was growing up. So I couldn't wait to start adding a few Christmas touches to Grahams nursery. The train is his absolute favorite! Its the first thing he wants to play with when I pull him from his crib.

Thanks for letting me show you a small bit of our Christmas filled home. I hope you have fun decorating your house this year too.

Now I am going to sit back with my peppermint hot cocoa and watch "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" with my boys.

I am so eager to reveal our family Halloween costumes! This year we...well lets be honest, me... decided what we were going to be for Halloween. Sean is a pretty passive person so I am lucky that he just goes along with my crazy ideas.

I love all things Disney and decided it had been a few years since we did a Disney themed costume.

Graham can walk... well its a walk with a bit of a waddle, so that gave me the idea for him to be a Penguin! I thought he would look adorable in a Penguin costume waddling up and down the neighborhood!

So that spun the idea of...

'Jolly Holiday'

"...Oh, it's a jolly holiday with MaryMary makes your heart so lightWhen the day is gray and ordinaryMary makes the sun shine brightOh, happiness is bloomin' all around herThe daffodils are smilin' at the doveWhen Mary holds your hand, you feel so grandYour heart starts beatin' like a big brass bandIt's a jolly holiday with MaryNo wonder that it's Mary that we love...."

The penguins in the movie have quirky personalities, three of them are cheerful, but their leader appears cynical.

They are seen in the animated sequence of the film when Mary Poppins and Bert are dining. They waiter them and enjoy a dance with Bert.

The three of us tried to reinact a few sequences of the film...

I hope you enjoy looking at this cute little penguin! I just could not stop grinning, he looked so cute!

It was our first time heading to Hawaii, and we were determined to pack in as much adventure as possible! 8 days of paradise!!!

Sean, Graham and I packed our bags and tagged along with my side of the family (my mom, stepdad, sister, brother in law, and nephew) flew from Utah to Hawaii. It was a long 7 hour flight with a 14 month old... but we managed to get through it.

Heres a funny photo of me wearing Graham in my Solly Baby wrap, after being patted down in security. "How not to wear your baby wrap" haha

We flew comfort plus with Delta, and I was so excited to see vegan options on their in flight menu.

It was a 4 hour time change, by the time we landed, so we were able to still get a few things done on our first day.

I have listed our itinerary for you to check out and some recommendations I have for vegan restaurants.

Sean, Graham, and I are the only vegans in our family. So when we went out to eat, we mainly ate at non vegan establishments. That was totally fine, because we were able to customize or ask the waiter to remove dairy from the dishes. Surprisingly we came across many vegan plates! It was lovely to see so many vegan options already on the menu!

My original itinerary included a lot of hikes, but after arriving we learned that it was going to be too much for a 14 month old and 4 year old to handle. So we scaled back and did more relaxing activities! Which was much needed!

We unpacked, put our swimsuits on and headed straight to our hotels little village. They had about 7 different pools and a man-made lagoon to swim in, which also led straight out to the Pacific Ocean. It was pretty neat to have direct access to the beach from our hotel.

After exploring the village, pools and the hotel beach front we freshened up and headed to dinner.

6am: Sean, Graham and I woke up early and drove to the other side of the island to get our family photos taken. (the rest of our family didn't want to participate, they hate having there photo taken) It was so beautiful to watch the sunset come up over the ocean, while our photographer took our photos.

I can't wait to send out my Holiday cards with these beautiful photos!

Sophia did an excellent job, and I am grateful to have had her capture these special moments. Here are just a few of my favorite images.

We drove back to the hotel and grabbed a Starbucks coffee to help us stay awake!

My family and I piled into the car and we went on a beautiful hike. The waterfall at the top was fun to play in. It felt like I was walking through Jurassic Park. It was so green and lush, with gigantic trees everywhere!

After lunch we drove over to a beach where my mother claimed was the softest sand on Oahu. When we arrived, I was surprised that it wasn't crowded. The view of the Makapuu lighthouse was amazing, and my mother was right. It was incredibly soft sand!

2-4pm Meg and Sean have Surf Lessons with Uncle Bryans surf academy. This was my second time learning how to surf. I tried it once in Byron Bay, Australia. But this time around was completly different, because of the type of waves. My instructor even told me to forgot a few things I had learned in Australia because surfing in Hawaii is not the same. The waves were longer and you can ride it out a lot farther. In Byron Bay you had to be quick on your feet. It was Sean's first time and he got up quick and had it down. I was impressed. It took my a bit longer but luckily I got it down.

6pm We got dressed up and headed to our dinner reservations at House without a Key. The view and restaurants property was beautiful! The menu did not have any friendly vegan options. It was really hard to order food here. But I ended up enjoying the view with many cocktails and french fries.

7:30pm Reservations Dinner @ Dukes Waikiki. This place was packed! It is super popular and has a great beach front location. They had many fish plates, but I simply asked the waiter to swap it for tofu!

My favorite season of the year is here! If you have ever been lucky enough to visit Utah in the fall, then you know just how magnificent the colors are.

I chose to get married at the end of September, because of the beautiful array of colors and how it smells like leaves and warm cider. The air is crisp and damp so I get to bundle up in my favorite jacket and explore the trails. Anyone else have autumn as their favorite season?

If we get technical, the total duration of autumn is 89 days long starting on September 22nd - December 21st. But I like to think of fall as mid September to Thanksgiving. Once Thanksgiving is over its all about Winter for me! (I am not a big fan of the cold Utah Winters)

So with almost 3 months of lovely fall weather, there are many fun things to see, taste and try!

Graham was only about 2 months old last Fall, so I am eager to have him expierance all the fun festivities.

I have made a list of my favorite Fall traditions! You can use it as your own Fall Bucket list, if you'd like.

This stroller workout is for moms in every stage of motherhood. As a new mom I have learned that life needs to be flexible around motherhood, meaning I will take a workout any way I can get it.

Along with my interval training workouts at OrangeTheory Fitness, I have combined stroller workouts and have lost a few extra pounds. I enjoy stroller based workouts because I can spend time outside with my baby Graham.

As you walk, extend each leg as far forward as possible, without sacrificing form. Occasionally, try pushing the stroller with one hand and swing the other arm alongside your body in the opposite direction as your forward leg.

I then gradually pick up the pace to a run. Switch from using both hands on the stroller to just one. Do large circles with the other arm to warm your upper body. I like to practice my "Micheal Phelps arm swings."

I will then start my cardio and run for 5-10 minutes.

SIT 'N' ROLL SQUATS

The squat is one of the best exercises for the lower body. Stand behind your stroller with the brake off, hands about shoulder width apart on the handlebars. Your feet and knees should face forward with your legs about hips width apart. Sit your bottom way back, and put your weight on your heels. Push your stroller out in front of you as you squat down, and pull it back in as you pull yourself up to a standing position. When squatting back, keep your spine long and strong, with your upper body only slightly tilted forward.

Do 10 reps, building up to 20

ROCK-A-BYE LUNGES

For lunges you can have both hands holding the stroller handle, or one on at a time. Keep your feet hip-width apart and abs drawn in. Bend your left knee and step back into a lunge with your right foot, leaning your torso forward and straightening your left arm behind you. Repeat with right knee.

Complete 10 reps, working up to 20, then switch sides.

PUSH UPS

Grab onto the front end of the stroller and complete 20 inclined push ups. Abs in and up, hips in line with your spine. Don’t forget to breathe. Remember to lock your stroller so it doesn't roll away from you.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

Make sure your stroller is locked. Grab onto the front end of your stroller and bring your right knee up into your chest and then switch legs and bring your left knee up into your chest. Remember high knees and do them quickly. I love making faces with Graham as I do these, because the laughter makes my abs work harder.

Complete 30 total mountain climbers

PLANK

Lock out your arms on the front end of your stroller. Pull your belly button into your spine and don't raise your hips.

Hold a plank position for 1 minute.

BARRE LEG LIFTS

Pretend you are at a ballet studio or a barre class. Be sure to keep your hips squared off to your stroller and draw your abs in and up.

Lift your right leg behind you as far as you can without bending over and pulse. Repeat with left leg.

10 lifts and 10 pulses on each leg.

STRETCH COOL DOWN

I am an avid stretcher, and believe it is important for your workout recovery. I danced and cheered for a long time and was very bendy due to all the stretching we did as a team. 10-15 years later I am still able to do the splits because I have kept up on my stretching!

To cool down walk slowly for 2 minutes, then stretch your calves, quads, hamstrings, lower back and shoulders, holding each stretch for 30 seconds without bouncing.

EXPLORING THE PARK

After my workout Graham and I walked around the pond and talked to the ducks.

I am always on the look out for healthy and fresh food, that is grown locally. Living in Utah, I am lucky to have an abundance of roadside stands and Farmers Markets nearby. I love knowing everything is fresh and locally produced.

When I search out farm stands or farmers markets, I am looking for ones that grow local, grow organically, and offer a variety of sustainable fruit and vegetables.

Shopping at a farmer's market means you'll be closer to the source of your food, and you can get to know the farmer and their farms. By meeting the people who produce the food that you eat, makes it a lot more personable and enjoyable experience.

The gentleman I met today, at Manning Farms, was very helpful and nice. By talking with him and telling him about my blog and journey, I learned that he was in transtion to become Vegan. I was so thrilled for him, and expressed how lucky he is to be surrounded by fresh fruit and vegetables all day!

By being personable with the farmers, they are more likely to listen to your needs and be socially responsible.

If you shop locally you are able to:

Save gas and create less pollution in your drive.

Pollute less, since the food doesn't need to be transported

Eat fresher food, with higher vitamin levels.

Enjoy tastier food

Have healthier food with less or even zero fungicides

I stopped at Mannings Orchard stand this morning. It was a roadside stand at the edge of their farm. I was able to see exactly where the produce grows!

Below I have listed my favorite things to purchase from my local farmers stand, and the benefits to buying them.

TomatoesA bland grocery store tomato will never be able to compete with a fresh farm market tomato. They're rich in vitamin C and Lycopene, two nutrients your body needs to function.

OnionsThe chemicals in onions along with their vitamin C, can help improve immunity. Onions also contain chromium, which assist in regulating your blood sugar.

PeachesOne of the favorite flavors of Utah during the summer and early fall has to be fresh peaches. Peaches are probably the biggest draw to Utah farmer stands. The cities of Brigham City and Hurricane hold festivals called, "Peach Days." Its been going on for more than 100 years, as a tribute to the tangy fruit. People drive from all over each Labor Day weekend to these events.

Peaches are a good source of Vitamins A and C, while also being low in calories. Peaches don’t taste good any other time of year than in midsummer, the height of their season. Its a fragile fruit and they don’t hold up well during transport.

Another benefit of buying local peaches is that they won't have pesticides. Peaches are treated with more pesticides than any other fruit. Buying local means you can ask the farmer to see which chemicals, if any, they use.

Corn

Make sure the color of the husk is bright green. If the husk is a faded green or brownish color, grab a different ear of corn. Also the "tassel" near the top of the corn should be slightly sticky to the touch. If it is dry or black, choose another ear of corn.

Peppers

Hot chili peppers, and chilies are my top favorite items. The ripe red ones are usually hotter than the green ones. Always know that the smaller the pepper, the hotter its going to taste!

Bell Peppers

I am all about getting in my daily fiber! My body feels and works better with fiber. Just 1 cup of green bell peppers contains 2.5 grams of fiber. I love their mildly sweet flavor because it makes it very versatile. I am able to make a variety of healthy recipes with bell peppers.

Can you tell by my produce list that I am making salsa this week?!

Apples

They are extremely rich in antioxidants, and have excellent dietary fiber. Make sure to know that Apples continue to ripen after they leave the tree. Many apples will begin drying out immediately after picking and some may lose their quality in just days. So enjoy your fresh picked farmers stand apples quickly! The store fruit that we are accustomed to has been waxed to keep its moisture level sealed.

My name is Megan and I live in the beautiful state of Utah! I was born and raised in Northern Utah. I have been married to my husband, Sean, since September 28, 2012. We have a beautiful son who is our entire world. Theodore Graham (or Teddy Graham for short) was born on July 28, 2016. Before I became a Blogger and Mom, I was a Veterinary Technician. As an animal lover, I have a fun house filled with 5 furry friends. We have 2 cats and 3 dogs.